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Bill would make shelters list animal fate

Volunteer Debra Starr visits a Rhodesian Ridgeback dog being held at the Manatee County Animal Services Shelter in Palmetto on Tuesday. In December the shelter euthanized 58 dogs and cats, the lowest number on record and part of their plan to become a No Kill Shelter. While Manatee County Animal Services already posts these figures on their website, a Florida state senator is proposing legislation that would make it mandatory for all shelters across the state.

Published: Wednesday, March 20, 2013 at 10:36 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, March 20, 2013 at 10:36 a.m.

The fate of every stray cat and dog picked up by Manatee County Animal Services is easy for the public to track.

The information is posted on the county shelter's website, where a chart lists the number of animals impounded, returned home, transferred, adopted and killed.

Manatee County began publishing the information as part of an aggressive push to adopt out more animals and move away from euthanasia. Now the program is being held up as a state model for transparency, with some lawmakers and animal rights groups working to replicate it across Florida.

A bill that cleared its first Senate committee this week with unanimous support would require every animal shelter in Florida to publish adoption, euthanasia and other shelter data online.

Supporters of the legislation say publishing the data could reduce the number of animals killed statewide by nearly one-third — or roughly 100,000 annually — by promoting accountability at shelters and spotlighting their inhabitants.

“Many facilities keep limited data on the disposition of animals and do not make it available to the public when requested,” said Sen. Joseph Abruzzo, D-Wellington, the bill's sponsor. “This makes it challenging for state and local governments to understand the current state of shelters.”

Skeptics wonder if the real motivation behind the bill is to lay the groundwork for a statewide “no kill” rule at shelters. The no kill movement — which seeks to limit euthanasia at shelters to less than 10 percent of animals — has grown in popularity but also has critics who say it leads to warehousing of animals and can be both expensive and inhumane.

Former Bradenton state Sen. Mike Bennett introduced a bill last year that sought to expand no kill practices statewide and publish more shelter data online.

The bill failed in the face of opposition from city and county animal shelters and others who said it was impractical.

The scaled back version of Bennett's bill being advanced this year has been labeled the “Transparency in Animal Shelters Act.” It mandates monthly and annual reports on 12 different shelter statistics, but the figure most often scrutinized is the ratio of animals taken in to those euthanized.

Online reporting is sporadic across the state.

Sarasota County does not publish shelter data, but Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Wendy Rose said in an email that the county provides the data on request and “we wouldn't have a problem publishing the data online if required.”

Sarasota County euthanized 985 cats and dogs in 2012 and released 2,682 alive, for a “live release rate” of 72 percent.

The Humane Society of the United States estimates that shelters take in 6 million to 8 million cats and dogs every year and about half are euthanized, largely because of limited space and shelter resources.

Manatee County had a live release rate of 61 percent in late 2011 when county commissioners, spurred by animal welfare groups, voted to move towards a no kill policy for the county shelter.

In less than a year the county increased the live release rate to 84 percent. But it wasn't easy. The county relies on volunteer groups to raise money for the rehabilitation of sick and injured animals and to aggressively promote adoption.

“If it wasn't for some of these outside groups we wouldn't be close to reaching our goals,” said Joel Richmond, the county's animal services enforcement supervisor.

Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, supported the bill in the Agriculture Committee but warned that not every shelter can be like Manatee's.

Brandes said he wants “to make sure that this isn't a means to an end for no kill.”

“You have animals that simply go mad in cages” if no kill is forced on unprepared communities, Brandes said.

Some animal welfare groups also are skeptical of the legislation. Michael Rosenberg, founder of the group Pets' Trust Miami, said publishing data online can't hurt. But Rosenberg said the solution to overcrowded shelters is more money for spay and neuter programs.

Rosenberg, who lived in a shelter cage for two days to draw attention to the issue, testified for a bill to allow counties to set up special taxing districts to help pay for spaying and neutering.

Miami-Dade County is planning to raise taxes and spend $20 million on animal welfare programs after 65 percent of voters voiced support for the idea in November.

But some lawmakers oppose additional taxing authorities. The bill passed its first committee this week, but Brandes voted against the legislation out of concern that obscure tax districts often have little public oversight.

“In so many of our communities only a handful of people really understand what special taxing districts do,” Brandes said.

Rosenberg cornered Brandes later in the day to try and make his case. He carried a picture of himself locked in a shelter cage.

<p>The fate of every stray cat and dog picked up by Manatee County Animal Services is easy for the public to track. </p><p>The information is posted on the county shelter's website, where a chart lists the number of animals impounded, returned home, transferred, adopted and killed.</p><p>Manatee County began publishing the information as part of an aggressive push to adopt out more animals and move away from euthanasia. Now the program is being held up as a state model for transparency, with some lawmakers and animal rights groups working to replicate it across Florida.</p><p>A bill that cleared its first Senate committee this week with unanimous support would require every animal shelter in Florida to publish adoption, euthanasia and other shelter data online. </p><p>Supporters of the legislation say publishing the data could reduce the number of animals killed statewide by nearly one-third — or roughly 100,000 annually — by promoting accountability at shelters and spotlighting their inhabitants.</p><p>“Many facilities keep limited data on the disposition of animals and do not make it available to the public when requested,” said Sen. Joseph Abruzzo, D-Wellington, the bill's sponsor. “This makes it challenging for state and local governments to understand the current state of shelters.”</p><p>Skeptics wonder if the real motivation behind the bill is to lay the groundwork for a statewide “no kill” rule at shelters. The no kill movement — which seeks to limit euthanasia at shelters to less than 10 percent of animals — has grown in popularity but also has critics who say it leads to warehousing of animals and can be both expensive and inhumane.</p><p>Former Bradenton state Sen. Mike Bennett introduced a bill last year that sought to expand no kill practices statewide and publish more shelter data online.</p><p>The bill failed in the face of opposition from city and county animal shelters and others who said it was impractical.</p><p>The scaled back version of Bennett's bill being advanced this year has been labeled the “Transparency in Animal Shelters Act.” It mandates monthly and annual reports on 12 different shelter statistics, but the figure most often scrutinized is the ratio of animals taken in to those euthanized.</p><p><span style='font-size:1.1em;'></span></b></p><p>Online reporting is sporadic across the state. </p><p>Sarasota County does not publish shelter data, but Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Wendy Rose said in an email that the county provides the data on request and “we wouldn't have a problem publishing the data online if required.”</p><p>Sarasota County euthanized 985 cats and dogs in 2012 and released 2,682 alive, for a “live release rate” of 72 percent.</p><p>The Humane Society of the United States estimates that shelters take in 6 million to 8 million cats and dogs every year and about half are euthanized, largely because of limited space and shelter resources.</p><p>Manatee County had a live release rate of 61 percent in late 2011 when county commissioners, spurred by animal welfare groups, voted to move towards a no kill policy for the county shelter.</p><p>In less than a year the county increased the live release rate to 84 percent. But it wasn't easy. The county relies on volunteer groups to raise money for the rehabilitation of sick and injured animals and to aggressively promote adoption.</p><p>“If it wasn't for some of these outside groups we wouldn't be close to reaching our goals,” said Joel Richmond, the county's animal services enforcement supervisor.</p><p>Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, supported the bill in the Agriculture Committee but warned that not every shelter can be like Manatee's.</p><p>Brandes said he wants “to make sure that this isn't a means to an end for no kill.”</p><p>“You have animals that simply go mad in cages” if no kill is forced on unprepared communities, Brandes said.</p><p>Some animal welfare groups also are skeptical of the legislation. Michael Rosenberg, founder of the group Pets' Trust Miami, said publishing data online can't hurt. But Rosenberg said the solution to overcrowded shelters is more money for spay and neuter programs.</p><p>Rosenberg, who lived in a shelter cage for two days to draw attention to the issue, testified for a bill to allow counties to set up special taxing districts to help pay for spaying and neutering. </p><p>Miami-Dade County is planning to raise taxes and spend $20 million on animal welfare programs after 65 percent of voters voiced support for the idea in November.</p><p>But some lawmakers oppose additional taxing authorities. The bill passed its first committee this week, but Brandes voted against the legislation out of concern that obscure tax districts often have little public oversight.</p><p>“In so many of our communities only a handful of people really understand what special taxing districts do,” Brandes said.</p><p>Rosenberg cornered Brandes later in the day to try and make his case. He carried a picture of himself locked in a shelter cage.</p><p>“No kill with no funding is no solution,” he said.</p>